Canadian Modernized Fertilizer Regulations – 14 months left for compliance deadline

Significant amendments were made to the Fertilizers Regulations in 2020 that affect the manufacture, sale, import and export of regulated fertilizers and supplements.

While the deadline to comply with the modernized Fertilizer Regulations is October 23, 2023, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) timeline for reviewing a new or amended fertilizer or supplement registration is between 200 and 380 working days. As such, the practical deadline for submitting a new or amendment application is in less than 60 days: September 25, 2022

Changes under the Modernized Fertilizer Regulations include:

• The registration period is extended from three to five years
• The specialty fertilizers exemption is removed along with the definition of “specialty fertilizer”
• Schedule II is repealed and replaced with the list of primary fertilizer and supplement materials
• All information on the fertilizer or supplement labels must be in both English and French
• The exemption for fertilizers imported for personal use is removed
• Adding definitions for “micronutrient,” “secondary nutrient” and “active ingredient”
• All renewals and new product registration applications must be submitted under the new regulations

The CFIA has also updated the definition of a supplement to include materials that act indirectly to improve the condition of soils, or to aid plant growth or crop yield. This now requires supplements such as polymers, sugar additives, molasses, signalling compounds, molecules for adjusting microbial population in the rhizosphere, DNA Aptamers, vitamins, amino acids, and nanomaterials to be registered.

Need assistance with addressing the modernized Fertilizer Regulations? Our Canadian team is happy to help. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your new or amended applications. Get in touch with us: [email protected]